Athena & Minerva and The Case of The Battle over Territory

Territorial battles are a common issue for cats, much like the many battles fought over land throughout history. Fortunately for D, the territorial fight between her cats, Athena and Minerva, ended peacefully rather than in constant conflict.

Athena and Minerva, two ten-year-old sisters and littermates, have lived together their entire lives. Like many siblings, they share a love-hate relationship that occasionally leads to tension, especially regarding space. If they were human, Minerva might have drawn a line down the room with masking tape, daring Athena to cross it!

D’s journey began when a house fire forced her to temporarily move into a small apartment while repairs were made. What was supposed to take a few months turned into over a year. During that time, Minerva claimed the bedroom but shared the rest of the apartment with Athena. However, when they moved back to their original two-bedroom home, an unexpected "Battle of Brooklyn" erupted.

Minerva now insisted the entire apartment was hers and confined Athena to the kitchen. This surprised D because, before the fire, they had never fought over territory in this apartment. There were spats over the couch because Minerva was jealous when Athena got attention from D, but the space was shared otherwise. Could this sudden aggression be linked to the trauma of the fire?

When I arrived at D’s apartment, I had several questions. Did the fire cause the cats to fear the home? Was it possible they didn’t remember the space and viewed it as new territory? After assessing the situation, I determined that neither cat was frightened of the apartment. They likely recognized it as their original home.

To test the dynamics, I placed Athena in the hallway. Minerva immediately chased her back to the kitchen—but interestingly, not intending to hurt her. Minerva wanted to keep Athena confined, but once Athena was in the kitchen, the two were fine. They groomed each other and ate meals side by side. The problem was apparent: this was a territorial issue. Minerva needed to share, and Athena needed to regain her confidence.

To help restore balance, I put Minerva in D’s bedroom and closed the door. Then, I encouraged D to bring Athena into the living room. Athena was visibly nervous, expecting an attack, but we placed a blanket she’d been sleeping on in the room to help her feel more at ease. With some treats and attention, she began to relax. Surprisingly, she stayed in the living room longer than expected, even after we let her go.

When Minerva eventually meowed to be let out, Athena darted back to her safe space in the kitchen. This indicated that Athena still needed time to rebuild her confidence.

My plan for D was simple but effective. We moved Athena’s scent markers—blankets, beds, and toys—into the living room so Minerva would get used to her sister’s presence in the rest of the apartment. Athena was given free roam of the apartment for at least an hour daily while Minerva was kept in a separate room. I advised D not to sweep up Athena’s fur during this process, allowing her scent to remain strong. We also placed some of Minerva’s scent soakers in the kitchen to help merge their smells and encourage peaceful coexistence.

Territory is incredibly important to cats. While many people think cats are solitary creatures, they can actually form close bonds and share space, much like a time-share. One cat may claim the sunny spot in the morning while another lounges there in the afternoon. It’s all about balance. In this case, Minerva had tipped the scales in her favor, and it was our job to restore harmony.

By the end of my visit, Athena was already sitting near the edge of her former territory. Ten days later, D reported that Athena had started exploring more of the apartment. One month after my visit, I received a heartwarming text from D: Athena was sitting on the couch beside her, fully confident in her space.